The document analyzes the front covers of three music magazines: NME, Q Magazine, and Kerrang. For each cover, key design elements are identified and their purpose is discussed, such as using bold fonts and images to attract readers' attention. The target audiences for each magazine are also analyzed, noting they generally aim for younger demographics interested in genres like rock, indie, and hip hop. Methods used to appeal to these audiences include urban and rebellious designs that match the magazines' musical focuses.

1. Analysis of Magazine Covers
By Lucy Hughes

2. Analysis of magazine front covers
Cover 1.NME Sept 2009
Dizzee Rascal Edition

3. THE MASTHEAD:
- NME= enemy, this creates the
sense that the magazine is creating
quite a rebellious vibe as you relate
FRONT COVER ANALYSIS THE HEADER:
enemy and graffiti as anti- - The whole magazine is colour coded this
establishments. is to create a ‘branding’ for the magazine,
it also highlights the genre of the
USE OF A FLASH: magazine as red, white and black are
- Appeals to the target ‘rocky’ colours.
audience, makes them
want to find out more THE SELL LINES/COVER LINES:
about the topic that is
being advertised. - Are very bold and take up a lot of the
shot. ‘man’ in the cover line makes the
magazine seem friendlier and appeals to
BACKGROUND: the target audience too through the
- Appeals to the target audience which is language used as its very informal
mainly male as the bands advertised are all language. The main emphasis of the
‘male’ bands and the colours and fonts magazine is people’s musical taste.
used are not feminine. The background
with the graffiti in the background and the THE MAIN COVER LINE:
image of Dizzee jumping out of the picture
- Big/bold and takes up the whole shot, putting
creates a very ‘hip-hop’ vibe which appeals
emphasis on the artist who is being advertised.
to the younger generation.
The wording is big and bold and heavily
shadowed making it stand out massively. The
USE OF A PULL QUOTE: shaping of the words creates a very edgy vibe
which would appeal to the target audience.
- The font of the pull quote makes
the magazine more informal and
friendly. It creates a happy/care
free vibe to the magazine. Also THE MAIN IMAGE:
the pull quote gives the magazine
enough information to entice the -Fills up most of the shot, putting all the attention
reader and make them want to on the artist. The artist's name is anchored so the
find out more and therefore buy reader knows who the artist is. Anchors weigh
the magazine. something down but they have meaning.
Barcode-date/issue/price; lets the reader know
how expensive the magazine is and how up to
RULE OF THIRDS/THE LEFT THIRD:
date the information is. The barcode is out of the
- This gives the magazine a professional way and doesn’t take up a lot of the space.
layout and gives everything a significant
place. It prevents the magazine looking THE FOOTER: used to highlight to the reader what other bands are going to be advertised in the magazine. Appeals to
jumbled and un-professional. the target audience as these bands are bands that interest them and they want to find more about. The white
background with black font makes the text and bands stand out more.

4. TARGET AUDIENCE OF THIS MAGAZINE
Target audience Profile:
Musical interests/favourite
artists etc.: METHODS USED TO ATTRACT
- NME magazines attracts people THIS TARGET AUDIENCE ARE:
who are interested in the
indie/rock genre of music.
Hip Hop artist; Dizzee is a well
known hip hop artist because of
Gender: this people will want to buy the
- Attracts male and females; but magazine to find out more about
on this particular front cover its the artist. Also the positioning of
mainly aimed at males because Dizzee is very friendly and
male bands are the only ones informal which makes the
being advertised. magazine seem more down to
earth and easy for teenagers to
Age:
read.
- Age group which they target
ranges from 16-19 years old.
Social class:
- From my research I have come The positioning of the letters is
to the conclusion that the very ‘hip-hop’ and street which
magazine would be targeted at makes the magazine seem
the group C1 and above, this is informal and appealing to the
because the magazine costs £2.20 younger market as it isn’t just
so you’d need a good income to boring and in a straight line. The
afford the magazine every week. shaping of the wording goes
with the whole urban vibe of the
magazine; with the positioning
of Dizzee and the graffiti in the
background.

5. NME Background research
NME magazine is
published by IPC media.
NME was first issued
on the 7th March 1952;
the original copy of
the magazine was
published in a non-
glossy tabloid format
on standard news
print.
The magazine focuses on the genre of
NME magazine is targeted at Indie/Rock. NME magazine was the
people between the ages of 16- magazine that created the new music trend
19, the magazine is also called Punk Rock.
targeted at both genders who
have an interest in the
Indie/Rock musical world. The The magazine on average is 70 pages long,
people reading the magazine the main focus is on guitar and rock music.
will have an interest in the up The magazine is made up of a news page to
coming gigs and other musical start with telling you the most up to date
social enjoyments which they happenings in the music world and then it
can enjoy with other people goes on to articles on specific artists (one
who are interested in the same may be advertised on the front cover) and
music. interviews.

6. Analysis of magazine front covers
Cover 2.Q magazine

7. Masthead:
Front Cover Analysis
- The masthead for Q is
quite unusual as it doesn’t
cover the whole of top
Use of flash:
centre of the magazine it’s
- A flash is used to highlight to
just one letter in the left the reader all the extra things
hand corner; this makes that are going to be in the
the magazine very magazine, lists all the famous
effective and very unique people they’re going to have
and stand out on the interviews with. Attracting the
shelves. Also the read reader to want to go and buy
background with white the magazine.
lettering is very powerful Cover/Sell lines:
and emphasises the - The cover lines show all the
powerfulness of the content that’s also going to be in the
magazine. magazines. They’re very bold so
they stand out to the reader, they
Background:
also follow a red/black/white colour
- The background for Q is very
scheme which goes with the indie
powerful, this is because its just plain
vibe of the magazine.
white which puts all the emphasis on
the artist positioned at the front. Use of pull quote:
There is nothing to distract the reader - It entices the reader and makes them
from the artist. want to find out more about the story.
It’s the only wording on the picture
Rule of thirds: which puts more emphasis on the
- The rule of thirds has been used words and the fact that Brandon
in this magazine to make sure flowers’ been ‘reborn’ is interesting to
everything has a place and make the reader and fans of the Killers.
sure the magazine doesn’t look
messy or unprofessional. All the
writing is placed to the left hand Main image:
side this is because when the - The main image is made to look very
magazine is on a shelf the reader effective by only this one image on the
at the point can only see what’s front cover. It puts all emphasis on to
on the left hand side. the artist and gives a feel to the
reader that the main story is going to
be on the Killers. The positioning on
Barcode: Brandon is a low angle shot making
- The barcode is placed in the bottom centre him look very powerful and gives him
of the magazine out of the way from the main quite a ‘bad boy’ vibe with his leather
features in the magazine, this is because the jacket and his had pointing upwards,
barcode doesn’t have much relevance to the he’s also wearing all black which gives
reader so the magazine publishers don’t the image no colour.
want it to take up too much room.

8. Target Audience of Q
Target audience Profile: METHODS USED TO
Musical interests/favourite artists etc.: ATTRACT THIS
TARGET AUDIENCE
- NME magazines attracts people who are
interested in more mature ‘older music’ ARE:
Gender: - The colours used are
- The magazine says it attracts male and very mature and not
females but it’s more targeted towards
the male generation extremely bold or
Age: bright, attracting more
- The age group that Q attracts is the older to the older
generation such as people in their generation. Also the
30s/40s who are looking for a different
mode of address, more sophisticated and placing of the cover
just want to know more about the music lines and images make
Social class: the magazine look
- From my research I have come to the more sophisticated
conclusion that the magazine would be
targeted at the group C1 and above, this is and don’t make it look
because the magazine costs £3.90 so like a ‘child’ magazine.
you’d need a good income to afford the
magazine every month.

9. Analysis of magazine front
Header:
cover 3. Kerrang Main image:
-Very effective as its just one image
that takes up the majority of the
-advertises competitions that are
frame. Also it is clear to see who the
coming up for the fans. Also
band is due to the large caption
summarises the main bands that
placed in the middle. The background
will be featuring in this issue-
is a mix of colours between red and
bands are all associated with the
black creating a ‘rocky’ vibe.
‘rock’ genre.
Masthead: Main sell line:
- Title ‘kerrang’ stands out and - It anchors the main image so its made
takes up a lot of space making clear to the audience who the band is.
the title very bold and effective. This is the only cover line on the
The font style used is Dafont magazine putting emphasises of who the
site which creates a very magazine is going to be about. The font
dramatic effect and makes it is big and bold making it stand out.
look like broken glass
suggesting rebellion. The !
Emphasises the rebelliousness
Barcode, date/issue and price:
- These are all essential
Layout follows the ‘rule of thirds’, this elements are a magazine and are
adds interest to the target audience. always featured. Its always
Everything has its own specific place to placed in a small box and in the
make the magazine look professional. The corner of the magazine out of
cover is very image dominated and even the way of the main features.
though every thing has a place it creates a
very ‘cluttered’ vibe which makes it seem Freebies makes the reader want
rebellious and going against the norm. It to buy the magazine as they get
suggests that the magazine is going to be 7 free poster with the magazine.
very busy full of rock content and the The posters are all of famous
reader of kerrang! Magazine is very popular rock bands which
unconventional. Footer: would appeal to the reader.
- Lists all the other bands that are going to be appearing in the magazine

10. Target Audience of Kerrang!
Target audience Profile: METHODS USED TO
Musical interests/favourite artists etc.: ATTRACT THIS
- Kerrang! Magazine attracts readers who
are interested in the genre of
TARGET AUDIENCE
rock/punk/indie/grunge music. ARE:
Gender: - The colours used attract
- The magazine says it attracts male and the target audience as
females but it’s more targeted towards
they’re very rocky and
the male generation, this is because of
the colours used and the striking fonts, it rebellious which would
doesn’t make the cover very feminine. attract more to the
Age: younger generation than
- The age group that Kerrang attracts is older. Also the style and
teenagers between the age of 15-19 who placing of the font creates
are interested in the type of genre that an edgy vibe which
Kerrang! Provides.
attracts the target
Social class:
audience of 14-19 year
- From my research I have come to the olds.
conclusion that the magazine would be
targeted at the group C1 and above, this
is because the magazine costs £2.20 so
you’d need a good income to afford the
magazine every week.